Slide fastener



Jan. 9, 1962 J. RUHRMANN ETAL 3,

sum: FASTENER Filed March 28, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F/ 5 V ////////////////////A Patented Jan. 9, 1962 ice Inc., Meadville, Pa.

Filed Mar. 28, 1958, Ser. No. 724,631 8 Claims. (Ci. 24205.13)

The present invention relates to slide fasteners and more particularly to a stringer for a slide fastener.

This application is a continuation-in-part of applicants pending application Serial No. 617,336, filed October 22, 1956.

Slide fasteners are known in which the scoops on each stringer are formed from a continuous wire or a continuous filament having the properties of a wire, which filament is bent to a zig-zag configuration to form substantially U-shaped scoops extending in transverse direction to the longitudinal direction of the tape and in which the legs of each scoop are connected together by filament portions which extend in longitudinal direction of the tape. In such constructions the filament has to be made with a relatively thin cross section, since otherwise the slide fastener stringer becomes rather stiff and unfiexible. Such a thin filament, however, will not provide a proper guidance for the rails of a slider used to push the scoops of the parallel stringers together and into engagement with each other.

It is one object of the present invntion to overcome this drawback. of such stringer constructions.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide in such a stringer construction for secure guidance for the rails of a slider.

It is yet an additional object of the present invention to provide in such stringer construction for a secure guidance for the rails of a slider without decreasing the flexibility of the stringer.

With these objects in view the present invention mainly consists in a stringer for a slide fastened in which an elongated continuous filament is provided which has the properties of a wire and which is formed to a zig-zag configuration provided with a series of ladder-like transverse portions all of which are substantially U-shaped to form scoops with the legs of the U-shaped portions located substantially in a pair of substantially parallel planes, and a series of longitudinal portions each interconnecting two adjacent transverse filament portions and respectively located at opposite ends of said scoops and at least partly located outside of said planes so as to provide secure guid ance for the rails of a slider. Each of the scoops is provided substantially at a central portion thereof with a head.

Due to this arrangement the filament can be formed with a relatively small cross section so that the flexibility of the stringer is not impaired whereas the parts or portions of the longitudinal filament portion which connect the legs of adjacent scoops and which are located outside of the planes in which the legs are located provide a secure guidance for the slider to assure that during pulling up of the stringers the slider rails will push the scoops of opposite stringers into engagement with each other.

Preferably the longitudinal filament portions are made with a cross section which will facilitate bending of the longitudinal filament portions so that adjacent scoops may tilt with respect to each other during the pull up of the stringers.

Each of the scoops is fastened by means of sawing preferably at the leg portions thereof to the tape located between the leg portions of the scoops and separate cover strips may also be provided extending over part leg portions to provide additional secure fastening of the same.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial top view of a stringer according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross section taken alone line 2-2 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of the filament as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the tape and cover strips omitted for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 4 is a cross section similar to the cross section of FIG. 2, but showing a different modification;

FIG. 5 is a partial perspective View of the filament as shown in FIG. 4 with the tape and cover strips omitted;

FIG. 6 is a cross section similar to FIG. 2 and showing a further embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross section similar to FIG. 2 and showing an additional embodiment of the present invention and showing further part of a slider;

FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view showing the filament of the embodiment as shown in FIG. 7 With the tape and cover strips omitted;

FIG. 9 is a cross section similar to FIG. 2 showing yet a further embodiment of the present invention and in this embodiment the cover strips are omitted;

FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view showing the filament of the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 without the tape;

FIG. 11 is a cross section similar to FIG. 2 showing yet a further embodiment of the present invention and in this embodiment the cover strips are omitted; and

FIG. 12 is a partial perspective view showing the filament arrangement of the embodiment shown in FIG. 11 without the tape.

Referring now to the drawings, and more specifically to FIGS. 1-3 of the same, it will be seen that the stringer of the present invention consists of a tape 2 and an elongated continuous filament 4 bent in a zig-zag configura tion about the inner edge portion 2' of the tape so as to provide a series of ladder-like transverse portions 6 all of which are substantially U-shaped, as best seen in FIG. 2, to form scoops. The legs 6', 6" of the U-shaped portions are located substantially in a pair of substantially parallel planes, parallel to the plane in which the tape 2 is located. The left ends, as viewed in FIG. 2, of the legs 6 and 6" are connected by a connecting portion 8 on which a head 10 is formed. The right ends, as viewed in FIG. 2, of the legs 6 and 6" are bent under an acute angle out of the plane in which the remainder of the legs are respectively located and these ends are respectively connected by a series of longitudinal portions 12 each of which interconnect two adjacent transverse filament porment portions 6 and each of which is respectively located at opposite ends of the scoops formed respectively by the leg portions 6, 6 and the connecting portion 10. It will be noted that the longitudinal portions 12 are respectively located outside of the planes in which the leg portions 6 and 6 of each scoop are situated and that the transverse filament portions 6 are respectively spaced from the opposite faces of the tape 2. In this way a secure guidance for the rails of a slider which extend towards the opposite faces of the tape 2 as shown in FIG. 7 will be provided and despite the fact that the filament is formed from a relatively thin wire to the right end portions thereof, as viewed in FIG. 2, will be securely engaged by the slider rails during the pull up of two parallel stringers with each other.

The continuous filament 4 is fastened to the tape 2 preferably at the leg portions 6, 6" thereof by sewing as indicated by the thread 14 and cover strips 16, preferably also provided, which extend in longitudinal direction of the tape 2 and cover part of the leg portions 6', 6". These cover strips 16 are preferably fastened to the tape by the same thread 14 which fastens the filament thereto. It should be noted that the longitudinal portions 12 of the filament extend at least partly beyond the right edges, as viewed in FIG. 2, of the respective cover strips 16 so that the rails of a slider will abut not against the right edges of the cover strips, but against the longitudinal portions of the filament.

FIGS. 4-6 show modifications different from the modification illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 above described. It is mentioned that during the pull up of opposite stringers it is preferable that adjacent scoops on each stringer may be able to tilt with respect to each other so as to facilitate the engagement of the scoops of opposite stringers.

To accomplish this desired result the longitudinal filament portions are preferably formed with a cross section different from the cross section of the remainder of the filament. The cross sec-tion of the longitudinal portions of the filament may have different shapes, but to provide for the desired flexibility and at the same time for the proper guidance of the slider it is essential that the cross section of the longitudinal portions of the filament extend in a direction normal to the plane of the tape a distance greater than the cross section of the leg portions so as to provide secure guidance for the rails of a slider and that these cross sections extend in a direction parallel to the plane of the tape a distance smaller than the cross section of the leg portions so as to provide for an easy flexing of the longitudinal portions and so that adjacent scoops may tilt with respect to each other during the pull up of adjacent stringers.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a modification of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 which differs from this embodiment only by the cross section of the longitudinal filament portions. The longitudinal filament portions 121 shown in FIG. 4 have a substantially rectangular cross section so as to provide a substantially flat outer surface and it will be noted that the cross section of the longitudinal filament portions 121 extend in a direction normal to the plane of the tape 2 a distance greater than the diameter of the filament as shown in FIG. 2, whereas this cross section extends in a plane parallel to the plane of the tape a distance smaller than the cross section of the remainder of the filament.

FIG. 6 shows an additional modification in which the cross sections of the longitudinal portions are likewise made in such a way so as to provide, on one hand for a secure guidance for the slider rails, and on the other hand for an easy flexing of the longitudinal portions. The longitudinal portions 122 shown in FIG. 6 are of substantially trapezoidal shape. It will be noted that the right ends of the transverse filament portions 6, shown in FIG. 6 are not bent away from the tape as shown in the modification of FIG. 2, but in this case the legs of the U-shaped scoop are spaced from each other a distance slightly greater than in the modification shown in FIG. 2 and the longitudinal portions 122 are arranged with respect to the legs of the scoop 6 in such a way that the edge portions of the trapezoidal-shaped cross sections 122 extend in a direction normal to the tape 2 slightly beyond the legs of the U-shaped scoop. In this case the tape 2 is preferably provided with a thickened end portion 18 as shown in FIG. 6. Instead of making the cross section of the longitudinal portion 122 of trapezoidal shape, this cross section may also have an elliptical shape with the long axis of the ellipse extending in a direction normal to the plane of the tape and the short axis of the ellipse extending parallel to this plane.

An additional modification of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The modification shown in these figures is very similar to the modification shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, however, instead of bending the right end portions of the legs 6-, 6", as viewed in FIG. 7, under an acute angle as shown in FIG. 2, the right end portions of the legs are bent substantially normal to the remainder of the legs and the ends of the bent portions are respectively connected by longitudinal portions 123 which extend respectively on opposite sides of the tape 2 and spaced therefrom to provide in this way a secure guidance for the rails 20 of a slider 22 shown in part in FIG. 7. The slider 22 is provided with the usual lug '24 in which the pull tab 26 is turnably mounted, which pull tab is used for pulling the slider in longitudinal direction of the stringers to open or close the slide fastener.

Additional modifications of the present invention are shown in the FIGS. 9-12. In both modifications shown in these figures proper guidance for the slider rails is provided by bending the right ends of the legs 6, 6 as shown in FIGS. 9 and 11 at substantially right angles to the leg portions and then by folding the filament against the leg portions forwardly toward the connecting portion 8 of the legs and then connecting the left ends, as viewed in FIGS. 9 and 11, of the folded portions respectively by longitudinal portions 12. In the modification shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 the folded portions 66 are spaced farther from the tape 2 then the leg portions 6, 6" which in this modification respectively engage the tape, whereas in the modification shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 the right ends of the legs 6', 6", as viewed in these figures, are bent towards the tapes and the folded portions 66 engage the tape and are therefore closer to the tape 2 than the leg portions 6, 6". It can be clearly visualized that in the modifications shown in FIGS. 9-12 the portions 68 of the filament which respectively connect the leg portions 6, 6" with the portions 66 or 66 folded against these leg portions will provide a proper guidance for the slider rails. In the modifications shown in FIGS. 9-12 the cover strips 16 are omitted, but if desired such cover strips may also be placed over the transverse portions of the filaments.

The filaments may be formed from metal wire or plastic.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of slide fastener stringers in which the scoops are formed from an endless filament differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in slide fastener strings in which the scoops are formed from an endless filament and which provide for a secure guidance of the slider rails engaging this filament, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a stringer for slide fasteners, in combination, an elongated continuous filament having the properties of a wire and having a zig-zag configuration provided with a series of ladder-like transverse portions all of which are substantially U-shaped to form scoops with the legs of said U-shaped portions located substantially in a pair of substantially parallel planes, and a series of longitudinal portions each interconnecting two adjacent scoops and respectively located at opposite ends of said scoops and at least partly located outside of said planes so as to provide secure guidance for the rails of a slider, each of said scoops being provided substantially at a central portion thereof with a head.

2. In a stringer for slide fasteners, in combination, an elongated continuous filament having the properties of a wire and having a zig-zag configuration provided with a series of ladder-like transverse portions all of which are substantially U-shaped to form scoops with the legs of said U-shaped portions of each scoop spaced a given distance from each other, and a series of longitudinal portions each interconnecting two adjacent scoops and respectively located at opposite ends of said scoops, the longitudinal portions connected to each of said scoops being spaced from each other a distance greater than said given distance to provide said filament at least at the junction of said transverse and said longitudinal portions with guide portions for the rails of a slider, each of said scoops being provided substantially at a central portion thereof with a head.

3. A stringer for slider fasteners, comprising, in combination, a tape; and an elongated continuous filament having the properties of a wire and being fastened to said tape, said filament having a zig-zag configuration provided with a series of ladder-like transverse portions all of which are substantially U-shaped to form scoops with the legs of said U-shaped portions located respectively at opposite sides of said tape and being spaced a given distance from each other, and a series of longitudinal portions each interconnecting two adjacent scoops and respectively located at opposite ends of said scoops and at opposite sides of said tape, the longitudinal portions located at opposite sides of said tape being spaced from each other in a direction substantially normal to said tape at least in parts thereof a distance greater than said given distance so as to provide secure guidance for the rails of a slider, each of said scoops being provided substantially at a central portion thereof with a head.

4. A stringer for slide fasteners, comprising, in combination, a tape; and an elongated continuous filament having the properties of a wire and having a zig-zag configuration provided with a series of ladder-like transverse portions all of which are substantially U-shaped to form scoops, the legs of each scoop being respectively located at and engaging at least over part of the length thereof opposite sides of said tape and being connected at one end thereof by a connecting portion formed with a head, said legs extending at the other ends thereof respectively away from said tape, and a series of longitudinal portions each interconnecting the other ends of two adjacent scoops and being respectively located at opposite sides of said tape so as to provide secure guidance for the rails of a slider, said scoops being fastened to said tape intermediate the ends of said legs.

5. A stringer for slide fasteners, comprising, in combination, a tape; and an elongated continuous filament having the properties of a Wire and being fastened to said tape, said filament having a zig-zag configuration provided with a series of ladder-like transverse portions all of which are substantially U-shaped to form scoops with the legs of said U-shaped portions having a substantially uniform cross section and being located respectively at opposite sides of said tape, and a series of longitudinal portions each interconnecting two adjacent scoops and being respectively located at opposite sides of said tape, said longitudinal portions having a cross section extending in a direction normal to the plane of said tape a distance greater than the cross section of said leg portions so as to provide secure guidance for the rails of a slider and extending in a direction parallel to the plane of said tape a distance smaller than the cross section of said leg portions so as to provide for an easy flexing of said longitudinal portions, each of said scoops being provided substantially at a central portion thereof with a head.

.6. A stringer for slide fasteners, comprising, in combination, a tape; and an elongated continuous filament having the properties of .a wire and being fastened to said tape, said filament having a ,zig-zag configuration provided with a series of ladder-like transverse portions all of which are substantially U-shaped to form scoops with the legs of said U-shaped portions having a substantially uniform circular cross section and being located respectively at opposite sides of said tape, and a series of longitudinal portions each interconnecting two adjacent scoops and being respectively located at opposite sides of said tape, said longitudinal portions having a cross section extending in a direction normal to the plane of said tape a distance greater than the diameter of said circular cross section of said leg portions so as to provide secure guidance for the rails of a slider and extending in a direction parallel to the plane of said tape a distance smaller than the diameter of said circular cross section of said leg portions so as to provide for an easy flexing of said longitudinal portions, each of said scoops being provided substantially at a central portion thereof with a head.

7. A stringer for slide fasteners, comprising, in combination, a tape; and an elongated continuous filament having the properties of a Wire and having a zig-zag configuration provided with a series of ladder-like transverse portions all of which are substantially U-shaped to form scoops, the legs of each scoop having a substantially uniform circular cross section and being respectively located at and engaging at least over part of the length thereof opposite sides of said tape and being connected at one end thereof by a connecting portion formed with a head, said legs extending at the other ends thereof respectively away from said tape, and a series of longitudinal portions each interconnecting the other ends of two adjacent transverse filament portions and being respectively located at opposite sides of said tape, said longitudinal portions having a cross section extending in a direction normal to the plane of said tape a distance greater than the diameter of said circular cross section of said leg portions so as to provide secure guidance for the rails of a slider and extending in a direction parallel to the plane of said tape a distance smaller than the diameter of said circular cross section of said leg portion so as to provide for an easy flexing of said longitudinal portions, said scoops being fastened to said tape intermediate the ends of said legs.

8. A stringer for slide fasteners, comprising, in combination, a tape; an elongated continuous filament having the properties of a wire and being fastened to said tape, said filament having a zig-zag configuration provided with a series of ladder-like transverse portions all of which are substantially U-shaped to form scoops with the legs of said U-shaped portions located respectively at opposite sides of said tape and being spaced a given distance from each other, and a series of longitudinal portions each interconnecting two adjacent scoops and respectively located at opposite ends of said scoops and at opposite sides of said tape, the longitudinal portions located at opposite sides of said tape being spaced from each other in a direction substantially normal to said tape at least in parts thereof a distance different from said given distance so as to provide secure guidance for the rails of a slider, each of said scoops being provided substantially at a central portion thereof with a head; and a pair of cover strips extending in longitudinal direction of the tape respectively over part of said transverse filament portions and being fastened to said tape, said cover strips leaving the parts of said longitudinal portions which are spaced from each other a distance different from said given distance exposed.

(References on following page) 7 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,937,297 Sundback Nov. 28, 1933 1,991,320 Sipe Feb. 12, 1935 2,066,060 Sipe Dec. 29, 1936; 2,087,456 Sundback July 20, 1937 8 Puschner Aug. 12, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Austria 1933 Germany May 26, 1955 France Dec. 22, 1955 France July 22, 1957 

